parse/error's lamp reacts to earthquakes in real time

behind its appearance of a beautiful object, the ‘earthquake lamp‘ unveils its true nature when it responds — in real time — to earthquakes from around the world with light pulses and a disturbing rumble. the luminaire immediately changes the observer’s behaviour — shifting between anxiety and fascination — while also inviting them to contemplate the reality and beauty of a living planet, constantly in motion.

the lamp has a very simple design

the inspiration for this creation came from the great 2011 tōhoku earthquake in japan, as the french artist parse/error was living in tokyo during this tragic event. the lamp acts as a connection between us and the earth, like a tangible interaction, and crystallizes our fear and captivation of the power of nature.

the lamp responds to earthquakes from around the world

linked to the data from IRIS (incorporated research institutions for seismology), the earthquake lamp reproduces earthquakes worldwide with a delay of only a few minutes. this artwork is thought as a flattened planisphere, representing the axis of the longitudes.

the lamp is linked to the data from IRIS

light and sound pulses change according to the location and magnitude of the earthquake, changing the color and duration of the pulsations, and the power of the sound. linked to a subwoofer, the earthquake lamp produces an impressive rumble that leads the viewer even further into the disturbing sensation of an earthquake.

the lamp’s light and sound pulses change according to the location of the earthquake

the color of the light varies

earthquake lamp in blue

earthquake lamp in orange

the lamp acts as a connection between us and the earth

this artwork is thought as a flattened planisphere

the inspiration for this creation came from the great 2011 tōhoku earthquake in japan

linked to a subwoofer, the earthquake lamp will produce an impressive rumble

the lamp leads the viewer into the disturbing sensation of an earthquake

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: maria erman | designboom